The Sleepover
by EtherealLightning
Summary: Maka visits Tsubaki's apartment to avoid a conflict with Soul. However, the night does not go as she expected...
1. Chapter 1

The Sleepover

Maka X Tsubaki

**Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater, or any of the characters. So please don't sue me. I'm in high school. I can't afford that.**

"Maka? Maka? Do you have the answer?" I heard Dr. Stein ask me. I realized I had zoned out and been staring out the window for the past few minutes.

"W-What? What was the question?" I asked, my face turning red. I could hear a few people start to snicker. Me, the best student, zoning out in the middle of class. Unbelievable.

"Never mind, Maka. Have fun in La La Land," Dr. Stein said, smirking.

I put my head down, trying to hide from the amused looks my classmates were shooting me. Glancing to my right, I remembered that Soul was skipping school again today along with Black Star. I turned around and saw Tsubaki sitting alone, twirling her ponytail in her fingers. I waited until she looked my way, watching her play with her hair. When she looked towards me, I waved my hand, gesturing for her to move to Soul's empty seat. When Dr. Stein turned around, she moved quickly to the empty spot next to me.

"Hey Maka-chan," Tsubaki said as she sat down.

"Hi Tsubaki-chan," I replied. "I hope Soul and Black Star are having a good time," I said, with a hint of irritation in my voice.

"I hope so too. At least it's giving me time to talk to you," Tsubaki said, smiling sweetly.

After she said that, my heart began to beat a little bit faster. I was puzzled. But I could feel myself start to blush so I turned away to try to get my mind straight. Why did I react that way to what Tsubaki said? In the middle of my thoughts, I felt Tsubaki poke my shoulder.

"Maka-chan, is something wrong?" She asked me, genuine concern in her voice.

"N-no. Nothing. I'm fine," I responded, stuttering a bit.

She placed her hand on my shoulder. "Well, if anything is wrong, don't hesitate to talk to me."

I started to blush again. _It's only Tsubaki. Why am I acting like this? _

"Why is Soul skipping school today?" Tsubaki asked me.

"I think he's still a little pissed about the whole Kishin situation. You saw all those souls after we defeated him? Shinigami-sama said that Soul couldn't have them and become a Death Scythe because he wasn't the one to defeat Asura…I was," I told her.

"You know, he's probably also upset at how he couldn't help you after you saved him from the madness," Tsubaki said, in that sweet, understanding way of hers.

"I guess so. But he doesn't have to act like a jerk about it," I told Tsubaki. Soul had been acting really standoff-ish lately and had been leaving early, without me, when he went to school at all.

"Is everything going to be okay?" Tsubaki asked me. I noticed her start to fidget with the end of her hair.

"Honestly, I don't know, Tsubaki-chan," I sighed, and put my head back down on the desk.

"W-well…if you don't want to be around h-him tonight…m-maybe you can stay over at my place…" Tsubaki said. I looked up and saw that she had looked away and was twiddling her hair faster.

_Is she…blushing? Any my heart is starting to beat faster again. _ I thought to myself.

"Sure. Thanks, Tsubaki-chan," I said, smiling for the first time in days.

"G-great!" She said, smiling shyly. Her cheeks were unmistakably red.

_Yep…she's definitely blushing. But…why? _ I thought to myself again.

Class passed fairly quickly after that. I found myself getting more and more excited to stay at Tsubaki's place.

_Why am I getting so excited? I've slept over at her place before…granted Liz and Patty were there, along with Kid, Black__Star, and…that baka. Soul. _

I glanced over at Tsubaki and saw that she was watching me. We made eye contact for a second, and then we both turned away, and I began to blush. I'm sure Tsubaki was doing the same, the way she'd been acting.

To distract myself from Tsubaki, I pondered the situation with Soul. Ever since the Kishin was defeated, he had barely talked to me, and when he did, it was always terse and irritated-sounding. Like I was inconveniencing him. I know he was mad about the Death Scythe thing, but that didn't give him the right to act like a jerk and be mean to me.

_Tsubaki might be right. The way he is, it must have been hard to not have been able to help me. But still. _

I shook my head in frustration.

_Whatever. I'll go have fun at Tsubaki's place and forget about him._

After class, I told Tsubaki I'd see her later, to which she agreed (along with a slight blush) and I went back to the apartment to get some stuff together. I grabbed my pajamas and some toiletries and put them in a bag, and started out the door. Leaving the apartment, I bumped into the one person I was trying to avoid.

_Soul. Darn it._

"Where are you going?" He asked me.

"Out." I told him, and kept walking.

I heard the door slam as I walked down the hallway.

After a few minutes, I got to Tsubaki's apartment. "Tsubaki-chan…you in there?" I asked as I knocked on the door.

"Y-yes! Be there in a minute!" I heard her call from inside the apartment.

As I stood waiting for her, I tried to get my thoughts in order.

_I'm just staying over at Tsubaki's place. I'm avoiding Soul. I'm going to have fun with Tsubaki. But what kind of fun…?_

My thoughts were interrupted by Tsubaki opening the door and gesturing for me to come in. I cleared my mind, smiled at Tsubaki, and went inside.

"Thanks again for having me over, Tsubaki-chan. It'll be nice to be away from Soul for a while," I said, setting my bag down on the couch and sitting down.

"Oh…n-no problem, Maka-chan…" Tsubaki said as she sat down next to me.

We sat there for a few minutes in silence. I looked over at Tsubaki and saw that her face was red and she looked a little embarrassed. To ease the tension, I stood up. "So…what should we do?" I asked her.

I felt her jump a little bit. "I-I don't know…I have some movies…" she said, nervously.

_Why is she so nervous?_

"Alright! Let's watch a movie!" I said, trying to lighten the mood a little bit.

"O-ok," She stood up and walked towards the TV. Kneeling in front of it, she rifled through the stack of movies next to it. She turned around and blushed. "Maka-chan, I t-think I only have romantic movies…"

My heart started to beat faster.

_For God's sake! Why am I acting like this?! We're going to watch a movie! Sure, it may be a romantic movie, but that doesn't mean anything!_

"N-no problem, Tsubaki-chan." I said.

She nodded and bent down to put a movie in. I noticed that she wasn't wearing her usual outfit. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants.

_She looks so nice…her clothes fit her curves perfectly…she…_

I stiffened.

_Whoa. Where did that come from?! Why was I thinking about that? _

I pinched my arm, and tried to clear my mind.

_Relax, Maka. It's Tsubaki. Your friend. Your beautiful, kind, considerate friend…_

I closed my eyes and wrestled with my thoughts.

"Maka-chan, a-are you ok?" I heard Tsubaki ask me.

"Y-yeah…" I tried to relax and opened my eyes. Tsubaki was kneeling in front of me, her eyes filled with worry. I tried to smile. "I-I'm fine. Let's watch the movie."

Her eyebrows furrowed a bit, and then her usual smile returned. "Ok!" She stood at sat down next to me on the couch.

The movie started soon after. As we started watching it, I realized just what kind of romantic movie this was. This wasn't the usual kind; it was what one would call yuri.

_Great. It's going to be awkward, watching a yuri movie, two girls…all alone. No. It'll only be awkward if you keep thinking like this. _

I snuck a glance at Tsubaki and saw that she was watching the movie intently. I returned my attention to the movie.

"D-do you not like the movie?" Tsubaki asked me. I realized I had a slight frown on my face.

"N-no, it's not that, Tsubaki-chan. Just have some stuff on my mind."

"O-ok…"

We watched the movie for a while longer, until I had to ask Tsubaki something.

"S-so…you like yuri, Tsubaki-chan? I never would have thought you liked it…"

She jumped. "Y-yeah…it's my little secret…well, I guess it's not so secret anymore…" She blushed again.

"Don't worry Tsubaki-chan, I promise I won't tell anybody. Not that it really matters anyways."

"Thanks, Maka-chan." She smiled so sweetly, I just had to smile too.

_So Tsubaki likes yuri. I suppose that doesn't really mean anything…but still…it makes me feel relieved for some reason. _

About halfway through the movie, I must have fallen asleep, because the credits were soon rolling across the screen. I looked over at Tsubaki and was surprised. Tsubaki had cuddled up next to me while I was sleeping and rested her head on my shoulder. She looked up and saw me looking at her. Her face slowly turned bright red and she jumped to the other side of the couch. When she moved, the cold feeling on my side made me realize something.

_I hope I didn't embarrass her too badly. That felt really nice. Her warmth…_

Then I noticed that I didn't scold myself that time.

"S-s-sorry, M-maka-chan! I-I d-didn't mean t-to! It j-just looked s-so comfortable, I-I couldn't h-help myself…" Tsubaki said, her face red and her eyes shut tight.

I found myself missing the warmth of Tsubaki pressed against my side.

_Huh. So I guess that's what this feeling is. Why I've been acting like this. _

I moved next to Tsubaki and wrapped my arms around her. She froze.

Now it was my turn to blush. "That's o-ok, Tsubaki-chan. I-I liked it."

She slowly opened her eyes; she looked like she was on the verge of tears. "R-really?"

_This is nice. This feeling. _

I paused for a second, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. I leaned back and looked her in the eyes. "Really."

Her eyes welled up and she started to cry. She placed her head on my chest, and I held her while she cried.

"M-maka-chan…I'm so happy…I-I've liked you for a long time…I just…never thought that you'd feel the same way…" Tsubaki said, sniffling.

"Honestly, I didn't think so either…but lately I'd been feeling strange when I've been around you…and you leaning on my shoulder finally made me realize it." I released her and held her hand. I looked her in the eyes again. "Tsubaki-chan…I…"

She smiled slightly, her tears slowly being replaced by hope and happiness.

"I…love you."

She smiled that intoxicating smile of hers and embraced me. "Oh, Maka-chan! I love you too!"

We sat there, savoring the feeling of holding the one we love in our arms, for a while. We released each other, and just sat there smiling at each other. Soon, Tsubaki yawned.

"Sorry, Maka-chan! I didn't realize I was so tired."

I laughed. "It's fine! I'm surprised I didn't beat you to it. I'm tired too."

Tsubaki got up and went to roll out a second futon. I began to think.

_Should I? Or shouldn't I?_

It didn't take me long to find an answer. Wordlessly, I stood up, and laid down on Tsubaki's bed.

"Um, Maka-chan…that's my bed." Tsubaki said.

I blushed. "I know."

Realization dawned on Tsubaki, and she started to blush too. She stopped setting up the other futon and went to turn off the light. Gingerly, she slid under the blanket next to me. I turned to face her in the darkness.

"Good night, Tsubaki-chan."

I slid forward and kissed her on the lips. Even without seeing her, I could sense her blush even more fiercely.

"Good night, Maka-chan."

I closed my eyes, smiling from ear to ear.

Suddenly, the lights flicked on. Standing in the doorway…was Black Star.

_Crap. I forgot he's right next door to Tsubaki._

"Ohh...I thought I heard something. So THIS is what I heard. Hahaha! I'm SO telling Soul!" And with that, he sprinted off down the hallway.

Tsubaki and I stared at each other, her eyes filled with worry.

I smiled reassuringly and caressed her face.

_Don't worry, Tsubaki._


	2. Chapter 2: Aftermath

The Sleepover: Aftermath

Maka X Tsubaki

**Disclaimer: Still a high school student. Still don't own Soul Eater. So don't sue me. **

When I woke up in the morning, I panicked for a split second, wondering why I was sleeping in the same bed as Tsubaki, until I remembered.

_That's right…I guess we're a couple now._

After I calmed down, I quietly watched Tsubaki sleep. She looked so cute sleeping. I reached forward and tucked a loose hair behind her ear. I guess I wasn't quite gentle enough, because she stirred in her sleep and slowly her eyes opened.

"…Maka…?" She mumbled, pretty much still asleep.

"Yeah, Tsubaki-chan, I'm here." I smiled.

She smiled faintly and her eyes closed again, and she drifted back off to sleep.

Gingerly, I extricated myself from the blanket, being extra careful not to wake Tsubaki up. I tiptoed to the bathroom, planning on taking a bath. Walking into the bathroom, I turned and locked the door, and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't notice anything extraordinarily different, save for a new gleam in my eyes. I smiled and lightly touched my lips.

_I can't believe everything that's happened. I feel so much better now. _

I turned away from the mirror and turned on the bath. Undressing, I waited for the tub to fill up. When it was full, I climbed into the warm water. I slid down until only my head poked out of the water. I sat there soaking for ten or twenty minutes, until I heard Tsubaki get up in the other room. I started to get out of the tub and dry off when there was a knock at the door.

"Maka-chan, are you in there?" Tsubaki called.

"Yeah. I'll be right out!" I answered.

Wrapping a towel around myself, I went out into the living room to get my bag with my spare clothes. I heard Tsubaki shut the bathroom door behind her. The coast was clear, so I got dressed. When I was done, Tsubaki was still in the bathroom, so I went into the kitchen to make something for breakfast. I pulled out some eggs for omelets and starting prepping them. While I was working, Tsubaki came out of the bathroom, wearing a different t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Hey, Tsubaki-chan. Sleep well?" I asked cheerfully.

"Y-yeah…better than in a long time actually…" She blushed, "…thank you Maka-chan."

_No…thank you, Tsubaki-chan._

"No problem, Tsubaki-chan! Breakfast's almost ready." I told her.

"Ok!" She said, and went and sat down at the table.

When the omelets were done, I put them on plates and carried them to the table. I set one in front of Tsubaki and the other at my seat. I walked around to Tsubaki and kissed her on the top of her head. She looked up at me, smiling. I blushed and smiled back. I went back to my seat and sat down.

"Thank you for the meal!" Tsubaki said.

"Thank you for the meal!" I said too.

With that, we dug in to the food. I realized I hadn't really eaten dinner last night, with all the excitement.

_Well worth it._

When we were finished eating, I cleared in the dishes and started to wash them.

"So…Maka-chan, what are your plans for today?" Tsubaki called from the living room.

"I don't know. I should head back over to my place, and see what kind of damage Black Star caused. That baka." I replied.

"Oh…ok. After that, d-do you want to do anything together?" Tsubaki asked.

_Trust me, Tsubaki, I'd rather spend ALL DAY with you then have to go talk to Soul._

"Of course, Tsubaki-chan. I mean…you are my girlfriend now."

The apartment went silent.

I leaned around the corner and looked in the living room. Tsubaki was sitting on the couch, her knees tucked up to her chest, her head in her arms.

"Tsubaki-chan? Are you ok?" I asked her, concerned.

She looked up, tears glistening in her eyes.

"O-of course, Maka-chan! I'm just…so happy to hear you say that."

I put the clean dishes away and walked over to Tsubaki. I sat down next to her and put my arm around her shoulder.

_I'm happy to say it too, Tsubaki-chan._

We sat there in a happy silence, until I decided that it was time to see how much Black Star did.

"Tsubaki-chan, I'm so sorry, but I have to go. I promise I'll be right back as soon as I'm done." I squeezed her shoulder one last time and stood up to leave.

"M-Maka-chan, wait."

I stopped and turned around. She stood up and walked over to me, blushing. Then she kissed me, right on the lips. She pulled away and looked at me, both of us blushing furiously.

"B-bye, Maka-chan…" She said quietly.

I smiled and walked towards the door.

"I'll be right back Tsubaki-chan!" I called as I closed the door behind me.

_I promise._

Walking back to my apartment, I found that I wasn't nervous to see Soul at all.

_I bet he's not even there right now. Probably out doing something stupid with Black__Star. Baka._

It didn't take me long to reach my apartment. Standing outside the door, I reached for my key. But, I couldn't find it.

_Crap. They're in my other pants back at Tsubaki's apartment._

Tempting as it was to see Tsubaki again, I knew I'd never leave if I went back. So, I reached up and knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" I heard Soul call from inside.

"It's me. Open the door, Soul." I replied, fighting to keep the disdain from my voice.

"Why?" He said.

"Because it's my apartment too, baka! Let me in!" I seethed, failing to keep my anger in check.

It was silent for a few seconds, until I heard the deadbolt retract. Slowly, the door opened, revealing my good-for-nothing partner.

"Well? Come in." He said flatly.

I brushed past him and went inside. I sat down on the couch, and noticed that Blair was absent.

_Must be at Chupacabra's._

"I take it Black Star came by last night?" I asked him.

He stood, leaning against the closed door. "Yeah. What about it?"

"What did he want?"

"Why does it matter?" Soul retorted.

"Soul. What. Did. Black Star. Want?" I said slowly, the anger rising yet again.

He shrugged.

"SOUL! WHAT DID HE SAY?!" I yelled, giving into the anger.

"Oh, just that you were spending the night with somebody else." He replied quietly.

His "cool" attitude was really starting to piss me off at that point.

"And did he say who this somebody else was?"

"No." Soul replied.

_I wonder why he left that part out. I guess he has a trace of decency._

"But…who was it, Maka?"

I looked up quickly, studying him. He was looking away, so I couldn't really see his face. I couldn't detect any emotion from him, but he can be hard to read when he wants to be.

"Why do you care?" I retorted.

"It was Kid, wasn't it?"

"I said: why do you care?" I said.

"Because. Maka."

"Because what? Soul."

He looked back towards me, and I could see that his eyes were red. That surprised me.

"Because…I like you Maka. I really like you. I've liked you since we agreed to be weapon and meister."

_Oh. _

"You've got a funny way of showing that, Soul."

His eyes widened quickly when I said that.

"Damn it, Maka! Do you know how much it hurt when I couldn't help you fight Asura?! After you saved me from the madness?! It was unbearable! All I could do was listen to you scream and watch you suffer!"

I stood up, feeling the tears starting to fall.

"Even if it hurt, does that give you any excuse to act like an ass and be mean to me?! No! It doesn't! I would think that you'd be super nice to me! But, oh no! You go and be stupid with Black Star instead! So, yeah! I found somebody else, somebody who is nice to me!"

Soul went dead silent after that, and slid down the door until he was sitting on the floor.

It was really upsetting, seeing him broken like this. But it was his own fault.

I went into my room, and began to pack things into a box. I only took the essentials, clothes and the like. But I made sure to grab the postcard from my mother, the one that inspired me during my battle with Asura. I turned and looked at my room, really crying now.

I walked out, shutting the door behind me. Soul was still sitting by the door. I decided to leave a note on the counter for Blair.

_Blair,_

_I don't think I can live here anymore. I'm going to stay somewhere else for the time being. If you want, you can come stay there, or you can stay here, I don't care. Just wanted to let you know._

_-Maka_

Standing in front of Soul, I looked at him. He hadn't really moved, aside from sliding to the floor, after I yelled at him.

"Move, Soul."

Wordlessly, he shuffled over to the side, clearing the doorway.

I sighed. "Soul."

He looked up, tears in his eyes.

"I'm going to stay somewhere else for a while. I don't think it will be permanent, but I need some space. Maybe we can fix this one day, but until then, I can't stay here. I'm sorry. Goodbye, Soul."

I opened the door and left, leaving Soul alone.

_I'm sorry, Soul. I hope we can make up one day. _

I trudged down the hallway back towards Tsubaki's apartment.

When I got back, I stood outside for a second, trying to collect my thoughts. When I thought I was ready, I knocked on the door.

"Tsubaki-chan? It's me." I called.

"Be right there!" I heard her call from inside.

She opened the door a few seconds later. When the door was open, her smile disappeared and her eyes widened as she saw the box full of my stuff and my eyes, red from crying.

"Maka-chan! What happened?" she asked me, her eyes full of worry.

I didn't say anything. I just walked past her and set my stuff down on the floor, and fell onto the couch. I started to cry again.

I could sense Tsubaki sitting on the floor next to me. She let me be for a little while, and then she lightly placed her hand on my back.

_I'm sorry Tsubaki. For acting like this in front of you._

I turned my head so I could look at her, smearing my runny nose on her couch in the process. Her dark blue eyes were focused on me.

"T-Tsubaki-chan…d-do y-you know w-where Black Star is?" I asked her, barely able to get the words out.

"Shhh…Maka-chan. Don't worry. He came by earlier…so I told him to go. I said that he shouldn't be here when you got back."

_This is part of the reason why I love Tsubaki. How much she cares about other people._

"T-thank you, Tsubaki-chan." I said.

Tsubaki rubbed my back. "It's ok, Maka-chan. I'm here for you."

_She changes so much when she's protecting someone. _

I started to calm down after an hour or so. Tsubaki lifted me up a little bit so she could sit down, and then she let me rest my head in her lap. I started to fall asleep like that, with Tsubaki stroking my hair quietly.

_Sorry we couldn't do anything, Tsubaki-chan. I love you. _


	3. Chapter 3: Clearing the Air

The Sleepover: Clearing the air

Maka X Tsubaki

**Disclaimer: Soul Eater is not mine. So don't sue me. Thanks. **

_Its been2 months since Soul and I had our big falling out. I've been living with Tsubaki-chan the whole time. It's been really enjoyable. We have so much fun together. She's just…an amazing person to be around. I love her so much…_

I rolled onto my side to watch Tsubaki as she slept.

_Just as beautiful as ever…_

I reached my hand forward, wanting to stroke her cheek, but stopped myself, not wanting to wake her up. So, I just laid there, watching her sleep, listening to the sound of her breathing. It was so soothing.

_I'd be happy just doing this all day…_

After an hour or so, Tsubaki finally started to stir. Slowly, her eyes opened, and she yawned deeply.

"Good morning, Tsubaki-chan." I said, smiling.

"Good morning, Maka-chan." She replied, returning my smile.

"I hope you slept well." I told her.

She nodded. "I did. What about you?"

"Pretty well." I said. "But…waking up is still the best part."

Tsubaki blushed.

"What are your plans for today?" I asked her. "Are you going to practice with Black Star?"

She nodded. "I think so. What about you?"

_After Soul and I had our big fight, I went and talked to Shinigami-sama. Obviously, we couldn't be meister and weapon with our relationship where it was. He was very understanding, like always, and said to take as much time as I needed to straighten my thoughts and come to some sort of agreement with Soul._

"I don't know. Is it going to be just you and Black Star?"

"I think so."

I grabbed her hand lightly. "Well then, I guess I'll just tag along with my girlfriend, if that's ok."

She smiled sweetly. "Of course." She leaned forward and kissed me lightly on the forehead.

"Thanks, Tsubaki-chan."

_I'd hung out with Black__Star a few times since that night he found Tsubaki and me. After he heard what happened between Soul and I, he apologized profusely, something I never thought he was capable of. Since then, he's been extremely nice to me, and hasn't made fun of me at all, like he used to. _

"Ok, Maka-chan. You get dressed, I'll go get Black Star."

"Ok."

Tsubaki hugged me, and then stood up to leave.

_It's nice that Black__Star is being nice to me, but he hasn't really been acting like himself lately. He's been a lot quieter, and hasn't had many of his "spotlight" moments. He's also been acting a little strange around Tsubaki-chan. He's not as open with her as he used to be. I wonder why. I wonder if he's talked to Soul at all. I haven't even seen Soul, since our fight. I do worry about him, but I just don't know what to do if I went to talk to him._

I covered my face with my hands for a little bit, reigning in my thoughts, and tried to put on a happy face. When I thought I had my thoughts under control, I got out of bed. Walking over to the dresser, I put on the first things I found. I went into the bathroom to give myself a once-over in the mirror. As everything looked normal, I headed out the door. Tsubaki was standing outside Black Star's door.

"Tsubaki-chan, why are you standing out here?"

She looked up. "Oh…hey, Maka-chan. I'm waiting for Black Star to get ready."

I tilted my head. "So you're waiting out here? He didn't invite you in to sit down?"

She shook her head silently.

_What IS his problem?_

"Do you know why?"

She shook her head again. "I don't know, Maka-chan. You've probably noticed, but he's been acting strangely lately."

I nodded.

"I think…" She started, and then Black Star's door flew open.

"The great Black Star is ready for some serious training!" He yelled, in his usual fashion.

_So…it's not all the time, I guess._

Tsubaki nodded. "Ok!"

Black Star looked over at her, and I thought I saw a strange look pass across his face.

_That almost looked like…pain? But why? Why would seeing Tsubaki make him upset?_

Then he smiled.

_I must have imagined it._

"Alrighty! Let's go!" He yelled, and charged down the hallway.

Tsubaki and I looked at each other. We both shrugged, and started after Black Star. I looked down the hallway, then over my shoulder. Satisfied that no one could see us, I took Tsubaki's hand.

Tsubaki looked at me, surprised. "M-Maka-chan! What if somebody sees us?" She said, blushing.

I squeezed her hand lightly. "Don't worry, Tsubaki-chan. It will be fine."

"O-ok."

And so, we followed Black Star down the hallway, hand in hand.

"Anyways, Tsubaki-chan, what were you going to say before Black Star came out?"

She stopped walking, and looked down.

"I was going to say that…I think I know why Black Star is acting strangely."

I walked around in front of her so I could hold both of her hands.

"Tsubaki-chan…?"

"I-I think that Black Star has the same problem S-Soul had."

_Does she mean what I think she means?_

"D-do you mean…" I asked her slowly.

"Y-yeah, Maka-chan. I think that Black Star has f-feelings for m-me. S-so that's why he's acting w-weird."

_So, Black__Star's upset because Tsubaki-chan and I are dating, because he likes Tsubaki. Hmm. Wasn't expecting that._

I leaned down a little bit, so I could look Tsubaki in the eyes. I squeezed her hands again. "Tsubaki-chan. Don't be upset. It's not like you did it on purpose."

Her eyes started to glisten. "I-I know, Maka-chan. I just f-feel bad for hurting him."

I wiped away the tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "Tsubaki-chan…"

"Maka-chan…"

"If you guys are done, I'm waiting!" Black Star yelled from down the hall.

I jumped, spinning around to see Black Star watching us from the dorm exit. When I turned around, he ran out the door.

_He looked upset again._

"Let's go, Tsubaki-chan. Maybe we'll talk to him today." I said, trying to cheer her up.

She nodded.

_We'll figure this out Tsubaki-chan. Maybe helping you out with Black__Star will help me find a way to patch things up with Soul._

Heading outside, we found Black Star lying on a bench, watching the clouds.

I forced a smile.

"Hey, Black Star! You ready for some practice?"

He sat up and turned around to look at me. He looked a little sad, but he soon broke into his trademark grin. He shot me a thumbs-up and jumped off the bench.

"Yep, let's go!" He said, and ran towards the park where we first practiced group resonating.

I turned toward Tsubaki.

"Ready, Tsubaki-chan?"

She turned to look at me, as she had been watching Black Star run off.

"Y-yeah, Maka-chan. We better follow Black Star, before we lose him."

We joined hands again, and set off in pursuit of Black Star.

We found Black Star in a clearing, doing pushups.

"387…388…389…"

"Black Star!" I yelled to get his attention.

He stopped, and looked towards me. He stood up and waved.

"Hey, Maka!"

_Back to normal._

"What do you guys normally do for training?" I asked Black Star and Tsubaki.

"W-we usually set up some practice dummies, and t-then Black Star will practice with my different weapon forms." Tsubaki answered.

"Yeah!" Black Star added.

"Ok, well, you guys do that. I'll go sit under a tree and read a book. Have fun."

Tsubaki smiled and nodded.

"We will!" Black Star yelled and turned around to run into the trees.

"Are you going to be fine being by yourself, Maka-chan?" Tsubaki asked me, concern clouding her face.

I walked up to her, and kissed her lightly. "I'll be fine, Tsubaki-chan. Don't worry."

She nodded again and followed Black Star.

I sat down under a tree and pulled out the book I had brought. As I read, I realized that we didn't have any food for lunch.

_Maybe I'll go to the store and get some food. It'll be nice to have a picnic._

I stood up and headed for the store. I got some rice balls, sandwiches, and some cans of juice.

_Kind of a lot of carbs, but whatever. Tsubaki and Black__Star could use it after exercising hard._

I went back to my tree and continued reading. A few hours later, Black Star and Tsubaki showed up, tired from practicing.

I closed my book. "Hey, Tsubaki-chan, Black Star. How'd it go?"

Tsubaki and Black Star both gave me a thumbs-up.

"Awesome! But…I'm hungry." Black Star said, grabbing his stomach.

"I'm a little hungry too…" Tsubaki added.

I held up the bags from the store. "Good. I got some food."

Tsubaki and Black Star came over and sat down with me.

"Thanks!" Black Star said.

"Thank you, Maka-chan." Tsubaki said.

"No problem, guys." I replied to them, smiling.

After we finished eating, Black Star said he was going for a walk.

"Await my return with eager breaths!" he said, and left.

After he left, Tsubaki scooted over so she was sitting right next to me. We leaned back against the tree and watched the sky.

"How was Black Star?" I asked Tsubaki.

"…Good. He'd get quiet sometimes, but then he would snap out of it." She replied.

"Do you think we should say anything to him?"

"I don't know, Maka-chan. We'll see how he is when he gets back."

I nodded. "Ok, Tsubaki-chan."

I leaned against her side, and she rested her head on top of mine. Sitting in the shade of the tree, in the quiet clearing, we fell asleep.

We must have been sleeping for a while, because when I woke up, the sky was streaked with pink. I could just make out the low-hanging sun through the trees. I was about to wake up Tsubaki to watch the sunset, when I realized that Black Star had returned.

_But not only Black__Star…who is that other person?_

Black Star and the other person were sitting beneath another tree across the clearing from Tsubaki and me.

…_oh my god…is that…Soul?_

I could feel my heart start to race from nervousness. "…S-S-Soul?"

The other figure leaned forward so I could see them better. It was indeed Soul.

_He doesn't look too good._

He had deep shadows under his eyes, and his skin was paler than normal. I froze.

"…Hey…Maka."

I couldn't say anything. Tsubaki must have sensed something in her sleep, because she soon stirred awake. She looked at me and saw that something was the matter.

"Maka-chan? What's wrong?" she asked, kissing me lightly.

I still couldn't say anything. I could only stare at Soul.

"Hey…Tsubaki." Soul said, getting Tsubaki's attention.

She jumped.

"S-Soul?" she said, her voice quivering a little bit.

"Nice to see you two," he said.

"Y-yeah, n-nice to see y-you too, Soul," Tsubaki replied. I could feel how tense she was.

"So…you're the 'someone else' that Maka found…" he said quietly.

I could feel Tsubaki hesitate. She squeezed me tightly.

Finally, I was able to find my words.

"Yeah, Soul. She is." I said.

"So you can talk…" he replied.

I knew that if I said anything, it would only make the situation worse, so I held my tongue after that comment.

"Tsubaki, huh? Why? Why her?" He asked me.

Tsubaki turned away from him and buried her face in my neck.

"What's so great about her, Maka?"

I could feel Tsubaki's tears starting to drip onto my neck. I put my arm around her shoulder, and drew her closer.

I was about to say something, when Black Star joined the conversation.

"Soul…you'd better mind your words now. Tsubaki is awesome, and you know it. So stop talking. Right now." He said, nearly spitting the words out.

He turned towards Black Star. "Yeah…Ok." He turned back towards Tsubaki and me. "Tsubaki…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"I-it's o-ok, S-Soul." She mumbled into my neck.

I stroked her hair for a second, and then turned back towards Soul.

"Soul. Your issue is with me. Leave Tsubaki out of this."

_I'm about to cry too. But now…I have to be strong…for Tsubaki._

He looked into my eyes, and nodded.

"So, Soul. I think we should go for a walk. What do you think?" I asked, shooting a glance at Tsubaki.

He nodded again.

I leaned down to whisper in Tsubaki's ear.

"Tsubaki-chan, I'm going to go sort things out with Soul. Are you going to be fine here?"

She looked up at me, her eyes glistening. "Yeah, Maka-chan. Go with Soul."

I tried to smile, and kissed her forehead. "I'll be back. I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too, Maka-chan," She replied.

I stood up carefully, leaving Tsubaki leaning up against the tree alone. Soul stood up to leave too.

I told Soul I'd catch up with him, and walked over to Black Star.

"Hey, Black Star. Can you watch over Tsubaki for me? I'd really appreciate it…she's really upset."

He looked at me, a trace of sadness in his eyes. "Yeah." He said, and went to sit next to Tsubaki.

I followed Soul. Glancing behind me, I saw Tsubaki and Black Star sitting next to each other, talking.

_Good luck, Tsubaki-chan._

I jogged to catch up to Soul.

Soul was waiting for me, leaning on the wall that overlooked Death City. He didn't say anything to me, so I walked up next to him and leaned on the wall too.

I took a deep breath to steel myself. "So…Soul…is everything…are you…ok?"

I could see him glance at me out of the corner of his eyes. He sighed. "Maka…where…is this coming from?"

"Soul…I…"

Before I could finish, Soul interrupted me. "Maka. Why do you care?"

I looked over at Soul. "I care, Soul, because what happened has really haunted me these past two months. I wanted to make things right…but I just didn't know how…I feel so bad about the things I said…it wasn't fair to say, especially after all you went through."

He looked over at me and smiled sadly. "No, Maka. If I hadn't been acting the way I had…none of this would have happened…and…and…I might still have you."

"Soul…you never 'lost' me. I'm still your partner…"

_Please…don't say it, Soul._

"Maka, you know that's not what I meant…" I could hear his voice starting to crack. "Maka…if I hadn't acted like a jerk…I never would have driven you away from me. I know it's selfish…but I wouldn't have driven you to Tsubaki. I might…have been your…someone special…" He started to cry.

"Soul…I thought cool guys didn't cry?" I said, trying to cheer him up a little bit.

_And avoid what he just said._

"Maka…not…when it's necessary." He said, his head hanging.

I placed my hand lightly on Soul's back.

He looked up at me. "…Maka?"

_Here it comes._

"…would I have been your…someone special?"

I flinched.

_Oh god. How am I supposed to respond to that?!_

"…Soul, I-I've never…seen you in a…romantic way…I like you…just not in a romantic way. I like you…as a friend." I said, choosing my words carefully.

He was stunned for a second, and then recovered. He wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up.

"…really?" He stretched, sniffling a little bit. "Well…I guess I can't do anything about that. I'm sorry for acting so uncool, Maka."

"No Soul, I shouldn't have overreacted like I did. I didn't need to say those things."

He shook his head. "Ok, Maka."

He turned towards me. "So…Tsubaki?"

I blushed a little bit. "…Y-yeah…"

"I never thought you were like that, Maka." He laughed a little bit.

_At least he's back to normal. For the most part._

"I didn't either, Soul. I went over to her place the night before our fight…and it didn't go like I thought it would. To say the least."

He laughed again. "Ok…ok. I won't pry...right now…" He smiled. "But that doesn't mean I'll give up."

I sighed.

"Can I ask you why?"

I tilted my head a little bit. "Well…she's so kind and considerate of others…she takes care of everyone else…and stands up for them." I could feel myself blushing. I started to squirm under Soul's curious gaze. "She's just an amazing person to be around. She's funny…beautiful…just awesome."

After that last part, I knew my face was cherry-red.

Soul started to laugh.

"Soul, you jerk! Stop making fun of me!" I said, and then winced. "Sorry, Soul. Just an old habit I guess."

He nodded. "It's ok, Maka. At least we know that we can be around each other again…"

I walked up to Soul and wrapped my arms around him.

"It's good to see you again, Soul."

He hesitated for a moment, and then returned my hug.

"You too, Maka."

I pulled back. "So, we should probably be getting back to Tsubaki and Black Star."

He nodded, and started to walk back.

I glanced one more time at the view of Death City, and followed him.

When we got back, Black Star and Tsubaki were sitting under the tree quietly. There was quite a gap between the two. As we got closer, I saw that Black Star's eyes were red, and Tsubaki looked sad. I went over to Tsubaki, while Soul went over to Black Star.

I kneeled in front of Tsubaki, and reached forward to lift her head up gently. "Tsubaki-chan, is everything ok?" I said quietly so Black Star wouldn't hear.

She looked me in the eyes, and shrugged slightly. "I-I don't know, Maka-chan. I talked to him…about everything. He's taking it harder than I thought. I explained my feelings to him. That I'm not…"

I smiled to try to cheer her up. "It's ok, Tsubaki-chan." I kissed her gently on the forehead.

She smiled sadly.

_Poor Tsubaki-chan. It must have hurt her really bad to cause Black__Star pain. _

"It's going to be ok, Tsubaki-chan. He'll be back to normal soon. It is Black Star after all."

She laughed lightly. "Yeah, you're right, Maka-chan." But then she looked away.

I turned her face back towards me.

"It's going to be ok." I repeated.

She nodded.

I looked over at Black Star, and saw him watching us. I tried to smile at him, but he looked away.

_Understandable. He's probably pretty upset._

I leaned over so I could whisper in Tsubaki's ear. "Tsubaki-chan, do you think we should go? Let them talk by themselves? It might help them get over stuff."

"Ok. Good idea, Maka-chan."

I helped her stand up, and kept holding her hand once she was standing.

_I don't know if we should act like a couple in front of them…but, it's just something they'll have to get used to, I guess. _

"Soul, Black Star? Tsubaki and I are going to go. Come over when you guys get done here, ok? I'll make something for dinner."

They both nodded quietly.

"Ready, Tsubaki-chan?"

"Yeah."

We turned and left the clearing, holding hands.

_This…isn't going to change. Tsubaki and I. I love her…and I want to be with her. Soul and Black__Star are going to have to understand that. They're going to have to live with it._


End file.
